Method of forming an elongated channel member



Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,009

Filed Sept. 7, 1965 INVENTOR GERALD J. KUCHERA BY 7 j-Io Ma rd J. Ba rn eff United States Patent Ofifice 3,367,909 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,009 METHOD F FORMING AN ELDNGATED CHANNEL MEMBER Gerald J. Kuchera, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,520 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-155) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLQSURE An elongated channel member having a straight top edge and flange and a bottom contoured edge and flange is formed from a rectangular metal blank in the following method. The metal blank has the two ends and an intermediate portion. The two ends of the metal blank are edge bent without offsetting of the blank from its flatwise plane in accordance with the contoured edge of the web of the completed channel member and also the desired depth of the respective flanges. After edge bending of the opposite ends the opposed edge portions are bent to form the channel with the bend adjacent the convex formed edge of the blank bent on a substantially straight line to define the flat top edge and flange and the opposite edge portion being bent to provide the contoured bottom edge and flange.

This invention is directed to a method of forming an elongated channel member and more particularly, to the method of forming a channel member truck side rail having variable width webs and flanges.

Various shapes of side rails have been developed in the past. For example, U.S. Patent 842,873, issued Feb. 5, 1907, to Ethan I. Dodds shows a channel member having a variable width web, a constant Width upper flange, and a variable width lower flange. This irregular channel member is made from an elongated rectangular blank, and the lower flange edges are bent up at unequal transverse distances from the edge of the blank so that the resulting opposite flanges are unequal in depth at a given section through the channel member. Under the Dodds method, therefore, there is a substantial excess of flange material in the lower flange, while the upper flange is just suflicient to meet the strength requirements of the side rail.

Applicants invention is directed to a method of forming an elongated channel member having both a variable width web and variable width flanges in which the opposite flanges may be generally equal in depth at any transverse section through the channel member. The equally distributed flanges provides a distinct saving in metal over the unequally distributed flanges obtained by making the channel member according to the method described in the Dodds patent. Applicant also starts with an elongated metal blank, but edge bends the blank prior to forming it into a channel member. In this manner, a variable width web and variable depth flanges may be obtained, with the flanges equally distributed on both sides of the web at any given section of the channel member. It is also possible to provide any desired flange depth at any given section through the blank by varying the amount of edge bending prior to forming. It must be appreciated that the top flange surface must lie generally in a horizontal plane because it supports the flat truck bed.

This invention provides a considerable cost and weight saving over any previous design of truck side rails while providing greater rigidity, a greater moment of inertia, stress resistance, and equivalent section modulus in the high bending moment areas between front and rear axles Without using reinforcing members as in conventional side rails. The side rail formed by the method of the invention is lighter and more streamlined, and occupies less critical space than prior truck side rails without sacrifice of any required strength.

In another aspect of the invention, it is also possible to form either the top or the bottom flange to a constant width differential when viewed in section. In some applications, tor either structural strength or for attachment of other structural members, it may be desired to have one of the flanges wider. Applicants edge bending technique makes this possible, whereas Dodds must accept whatever flange width occurs as determined solely by the configuration of the Web of the channel member.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the elongated blank prior to edge bending;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank after edge bending;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the completed channel member showing the variable width web;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the completed channel showing the variable depth flanges;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along lines 55 of FIG. 3 and showing the equal distribution of the flanges at the end portion of the channel member; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken along lines 66 of FIG. 3 showing the equal distribution of the flanges at the middle portion of the channel member.

As shown in the drawings, a flat rectangular metal blank 1, having ends 2 and 3 and a middle portion 4, is subjected to edge bending to laterally offset the ends 2 and 3 from the middle portion 4, as generally'shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the general contour of the edge bent blank 1, and the general contour of the finished article is indicated in phantom in FIG. 2.

A channel member 5 having a web 6 and a pair of flanges 7 and 8 formed from the contoured blank 1 shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIGS. 3-6.

As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the flanges 7 and 8 are equally distributed on both sides of web 6 throughout the length of channel member 5. This equal distribution is made possible by the edge bending step prior to the forming of channel member 5. Because of the edge bending, it is possible to form a channel member 5 having a variable width web 6 and variable width flanges 7 and 8, but with the width of flanges 7 and 8 equal at any given section through channel member 5, such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The width of the flanges 7 and 8, and the width of the web 6 is determined by the load requirements of the vehicle in which the channel member 5 is to be used. It is also possible that a larger top flange 7 or bottom flange 8 may be required, and the edge bending step of the invention also permits unbalancing the flange width at any given section of the channel member 5 to provide either a larger top or bottom flange. The typical situation in which a wider flange 7 or 8 might be required is that in which other vehicle components require a larger attachment surface area.

The method of the invention provides a channel memher having a variable width web for most eflicient load bearing characteristics, and variable depth flanges, distributed as determined by the edge bending step of the process on either side of said web at any given section through the channel member. The upper flange, although variable in width, presents a substantially horizontal top surface for receiving the flat bed of a truck. The flanges may be equal, or may differ in depth by a predetermined amount at any given section through the length of the channel member. The invention provides a substantial cost and weight saving in a truck side rail, saving approximately 240 lbs. of steel per vehicle unit. No reinforcing trusses are required, further decreasing the overall cost of the truck frame, and yet the channel member side rail of the invention performs as well or better than prior truck side rails.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of making an elongated channel member having a variable width web having one straight edge and variable depth flanges, the steps comprising, forming an elongated rectangular metal blank having two ends and an intermediate portion, edge bending said blank at predetermined portions thereof without offsetting said blank from its flatwise plane by predetermined amounts determined by the contour of the Web portion of the completed channel member and the desired depth of the respective flanges at said section of the channel member, and bending the opposed edge portions of said edge bent metal blank in a single bending operation into a channel memher, the one edge portion being bent along a straight line and the opposite edge portion being bent along the contour of the web to define the variable width Web and having one substantially straight edge and variable depth flanges, the flange adjacent the straight edge having substantially its entire surface in one plane to facilitate connection to a fiat surface to be supported by said channel member.

2. In a method of making a truck side rail having a variable width web and a flat flange surface for receiving a flat truck bed, said side rail being fabricated from an elongated rectangular blank having a pair of ends and a middle portion, the step of first edge bending the ends of the rectangular blank a predetermined amount without offsetting said blank from its flatwise plane, and then bending the opposed edge portions of said side rail, 21

first edge portion being bent along a straight line and the second edge portion on a line parallel to the edge bent blank to provide uniformly distributed upper and lower flanges on opposite sides of said web, said upper and lower flanges having corresponding changing contours when viewed in the plane of said web and generally perpendicularly to the surface of said flanges.

3. The method of making a variable width channel member having a variable width web including a generally straight top edge and a top flange and a bottom flange, said flanges being of variable depth and said top flange having its surface disposed in a generally single horizontal plane to facilitate connection to a flat surface to be supported by said channel member, the steps comprising, forming a generally rectangular elongated flat metal blank, edge bending the respective ends of said blank a predetermined amount in accordance with the variable depth of said flanges, and aligning said edgebent blank in a forming press so that the central portion of said blank between the end portions will be centered under the channel forming die, and forming said edge bent flat metal blank in a single bending operation of said press and including a bend along a straight bend line longitudinally of the blank to define said top flange, and along a second spaced line in accordance with the variable width web to define said bottom flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

